


This Is My Idea

by Pokeluv101



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Fluff, M/M, Songfic, Songfic - This is my idea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 07:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16300352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: Since they were kids, Hyde and Licht were forced to spend their summer and winter together. They never thought they would fall in love.





	1. Chapter 1

Little Hyde excitedly ran down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. It was dangerous but he wanted to go outside as soon as possible. He had so many things planned for the summer: visiting Wrath’s apple farm, eating at every stall during the summer festival with World End, and so much more. He was even able to convince his lazy brother, Kuro, to take him fishing.

Yes, it was looking to be the most eventful summer of his young life.

He spotted his big brother, Hugh, at the bottom of the stairs and waved to him. They were planning to see his favourite play for the first day of summer. In his excitement, Hyde tripped and began to tumble down the stairs. He wasn’t hurt because Hugh quickly caught him. Hyde grinned happily at Hugh who looked less than amused. He began to give him a lecture that Hyde was all too familiar with.

“Now, is this any way for the future king to behave? I promised to take you to see  _Hamlet_  on the condition that you take your role more seriously. You were very lucky to have been adopted by King Guildenstern so you need to be diligent with your new responsibilities.” Hugh went on about his obligations but Hyde only half listened to him. He was relieved when his sister came to his defence.

“Hyde is only seven so let him be a child while he still can. He doesn’t have to start his formal training until he’s thirteen.” Wrath pointed out and Hyde stuck out his tongue at Hugh from behind the safety of his sister’s skirt. That earned him a light glare from her. “Your brother is looking out for you so don’t treat him so disrespectfully. You can play in the summer but make sure to study hard in the fall.”

“Yes, Wrath.” Hyde mumbled and she nodded. She gently pushed him towards Hugh. He readily took his big brother’s hand and they started to leave together. So, Hyde had to groan when Gil stopped them. It seemed like he would never be able to see his favourite play.

“Hyde, there’s someone I want you to meet.” He said and Hyde noticed that two people were following Gil. One was a man and the other was a boy his age. He watched the boy curiously because he had a strange white streak in his dark hair. The boy tilted his head slightly and watched him as well. “Hyde, this is Licht and he’ll be staying with us for the summer. He’s from the neighbouring kingdom and I expect you to make him feel welcomed. Go on and introduce yourself.”

“ _Welcome, my name’s Hyde!_ ” He said in German even though he was still learning the language. The neighbouring kingdom mainly spoke German so he thought that it would be easier to speak with him in his native tongue. Hyde stepped in front of Licht and held out his hand with a large smile. “ _Let’s have a fun summer together. I know a little German so I can translate anything you don’t understand._ ”

“Are you making fun of me? Your German is butchered beyond belief. I don’t need you to translate because I’m well versed in many languages, unlike you.” Licht replied in English.

Hyde was about to hit him when Wrath held him back. His education was a rather sensitive subject for him because he was born a peasant. He used to work as a servant in the castle and Gil discovered he was bright and proficient at literature after speaking with him. When he learned that he was an orphan, he decided to adopt Hyde and his siblings.

“ _Just let me kick him once, Wrath! He deserves it!_ ”  Hyde argued with her in Japanese so Licht wouldn’t understand him.

Unfortunately, he did. Licht broke away from Kranz and tackled him to the ground. “You’re the one that made fun of my language by speaking it so poorly! I’ll teach you a lesson right now, Demon!”

“Stop you two!” The two kings had to pry their charges apart. From the two’s defiant expressions, it was obvious that they still wanted to fight each other so they held onto their hands securely. In a gentle yet stern voice, Kranz spoke to Licht. “Hyde was trying to be considerate so apologize, Licht.”

“Why should I apologize? I did nothing wrong. It’s my duty to purify demons who are rude! Why? Because I’m an angel.” Licht said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The pose he made caused Hyde to burst into laughter. Licht took off his shoe to throw at Hyde in retaliation.

Hugh caught it nimbly and Wrath gave the child a cold frown. Under the pair’s hard eyes, Licht had to shrink back. Gil knew how protective the siblings were of each other so he stepped in before they could scare Licht any further. “I need to discuss an important matter with Hyde in the library so please wait for us in the hall. Come now, Hyde.”

Reluctantly, Hyde followed Gil into the library. As they walked, he watched Licht from the corner of his eyes. He hoped that he would only stay a few days so he could enjoy his summer with his family. When Licht glared at him, Hyde returned it and tripped him subtly. That caused another fight between the two and their fathers had to drag them apart.

“Hyde!” He reprimanded. “Licht is a prince like you so you must treat him with respect. I don’t want to see you two kids fight anymore.”

“That goes for you as well, Licht.” Kranz urged the small boy to sit in a chair. Once the two were quiet, he went on to explain. “The reason behind our meeting is because we will be signing a treaty between our two kingdoms. Now that you two are allies, we want you two to become friends. This alliance will be stronger if it were more than mere words on a page.”

“I will never be friends with him!” They both yelled at the same time and then exchanged a scowl.

“Give it a chance.” Kranz spoke in a soft voice but Gil’s tone was much firmer.

“You two will learn to get along for the sake of your kingdom. Every summer, Licht will visit us. During the winter, Hyde will go to your kingdom. Play with each other and try to become friends. Maybe you two will learn that you have something in common in that time. Until we see you two getting along, you will be confined to the library.”

“What about everything I had planned for the summer? I was supposed to see a play with Hugh and enjoy the festival with World End today. I had the rest of my summer planned too. This isn’t fair! Make someone else spend time with him.” Hyde complained but Gil only brushed off his concern.

“But Winter is when Mahiru visits to tutor me and teach me the piano!” Licht jumped off his chair and pleaded with Kranz. “If I’m stuck with that demon the entire Winter, I’ll barely be able to play! He’ll probably bother me the entire time. Who cares if we’re friends as long as we have the treaty?”

“We aren’t going to change our minds on this so we suggest you two make the best of this situation.” He said. For the first time, Licht and Hyde could agree on something. They both hated the idea of having to spend time together instead of doing what they loved. Neither of them believed that they would get along or become anything more.

* * *

“This was supposed to be the best summer ever but you ruined it.” Hyde huffed and slumped onto the couch. He sighed heavily and shifted until he was hanging over the couch cushions. Upside down, he glared at the boy that was the source of his troubles. Licht was occupying himself with the books in the library and ignoring him despite how their fathers told them to play together.

He picked up one of the books and threw it at the dark haired boy. Licht turned on him sharply. “What was that for, Shit Rat? You want me to throw you out the window?”

“Gil nailed down the windows so we can’t escape that way.” Hyde reminded him. “There’s nothing to do! I already read every book in this room and I’m bored. I can’t believe I have to spend every summer like this. What makes them think that we’ll have anything in common?”

“Can you stop complaining, Demon? Your voice is annoying when I’m trying to read. This library doesn’t even have a piano for me to practise. If anyone is going to be bored, it’s going to be me.” Licht clicked his tongue and snapped the book closed. “Why are there so many books by this Shakespeare person? He writes funny and you can’t understand a thing.”

“Hey, he’s my favourite!” Hyde jumped off the couch and he was ready to fight him again. He only stopped when the door opened because he thought that it was Gil checking on them. He didn’t want to listen to one of his lectured. Instead of Gil entering, it was Kuro and JeJe. He immediately brightened at the sight of his brothers.

“I heard you were under house arrest.” Kuro said as he closed the door behind them. He knelt in front of his brother and whispered. “We’re going to break you out and take you to Wrath’s farm. It’ll take a while for him to find us there. That should give you enough time to enjoy yourself before Gil drags you back here. JeJe will stay and keep him from discovering that you’re missing too.”

“Yay!” Hyde cheered and hugged his brother.

“Don’t make such a big deal about this.” Kuro grumbled but returned his hug briefly. Then he left him go and ruffled his hair. “It was Lily’s idea so thank him when we get to the farm. He said that you’ll be sad after missing your  _Hamlet_ thing. We thought that we could help you do one of the things you wanted. Let’s go before Wrath gets worried about us and gives us a lecture.”

He opened a hidden door behind a bookcase and ushered his brother in. Hyde was only too happy to obliged and skipped forward. He only stopped when he felt something tug on his scarf. He looked over his shoulder and saw that it was Licht who stopped him. “What do you want? If you tell Gil and Kranz about this, I’m going throw a book at you.”

“I want to go with you. I’m not going to stay here with your brother while you’re out there having fun.” Licht declared. He refused to let go of him despite how much Hyde tried to take back his scarf.

“Can’t deal.” Kuro watched the two boys fight and sighed heavily. He loved his little brother but he could be exasperating. He stopped their fight by lifting Hyde into his arms. Then he took Licht’s hand and led him through the door. “Just let your little friend join, Hyde. You’re wasting our time fighting. I could be sleeping under a tree and eating apple pie by now.”

“Apple pie?” Hyde beamed and then looked down at Licht. “Fine, you can come with us.”

“As if I need your permission. If I want to join, I will.”

* * *

Licht was a little overwhelmed with the family. He was an only child and his parents died when he was young. After he was adopted by Kranz, he lived in the castle but there were few children there. The few that lived in the castle didn’t talk to him because of his title as prince. Mahiru was the only person that treated him like a normal angel. That was why he always looked forward to his visit in the winter.

From his seat on the tree branch, he watched the group eat and speak excitedly. He almost wished that he hadn’t followed him to the farm. He could hear their laughter below but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Wrath handed him a plate piled high with sweets but something she said made Hyde pout. Eventually, Hyde slipped out of his seat and went to the tree Licht sat in.

“Hey, my sister said I should give you some food. Come down and eat with us. I’m not allowed to go back until I give you this plate.” Hyde called up to him and held out the plate as a peace offering.

“I don’t want anything from a demon like you.” Licht called back. He thought that Hyde would give up or throw the food at him but he didn’t. Hyde balanced the plate on his head and climbed the tree. It was a little difficult to move while keeping the plate from falling but he eventually made his way to Licht. He grinned triumphantly once he reached him.

“I can’t go back until you eat. C'mon, they taste great! There’s apple pie, angel food cake and—”

“If I eat, will you leave?” Licht took the plate off his head and placed it on his lap. The branch shook slightly when Hyde settled himself next to him. He stole a cookie off his plate and Licht briefly considered pushing him out of the tree. He decided not to and ate the angel food cake. “This is actually good! Of course, my friend Mahiru bakes better.”

“My sister is the best!” Hyde argued between bites. From the corner of his eyes, he studied Licht’s expression. He looked happy as he ate the cake. It was the first time that day that he seen him smile and it was rather charming. “Your face is covered in icing, Angel Cakes.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m an angel, not a pastry.” He wiped his cheek with his sleeve. Licht swung his legs joyfully as he looked over the apple farm. It was beautiful and he thought that it would be a shame that they would have to spend the entire summer in the library. When he voiced that thought to him, Hyde had a thoughtful expression.

“Kuro showed us that secret door! We can sneak out of the library whenever we want. I’ll show you all the great places in the kingdom.” He suggested, a little excited that he could do the things he planned. Of course, he didn’t know what will happen if the angel joined him. “My kingdom’s great. You’ll have a lot of fun.”

“Mine is better.” Licht said. He had to admit that he was a little competitive and proud. “We have a pond right next to my castle and we can go ice skating whenever we want in the Winter.”

“Then let’s see whose kingdom has more fun places. I’ll take you to the pond we fish at and you’ll take me to the pond you ice skate at.” Hyde challenged and held up his pinky. Not one to back down, Licht held up his pinky as well. They wrapped their pinkies together and Hyde grinned. This summer would be one of the most eventful in his life.


	2. Chapter 2

“Mahiru, please tell the kitchen to pack a melon with my lunch? I want to have it as a snack when we go to the pond.” Licht asked him as he shoved his textbook to the corner of his desk. While Mahiru was his tutor, they were close friends and he was one of the few people he respected. “The Shit Rat is scheduled to arrive at noon. Can you make cookies before he arrives?”

“I don’t know if I’m your tutor or a servant to you.” Mahiru chuckled, not the least bothered by his tone. He knew that Licht was a good person despite his hard scowl. “But I’m your friend so I’ll bake cookies and cut a melon for your outing. Remember to share them with Hyde when you two go to the pond. I’m sure he will enjoy them as well. It’s sweet how excited you are for his visit.”

“How can you call yourself my friend but not know that demon irritates me beyond belief? You can’t even call us friends. The only reason that demon visits me is because of politics.” Licht reminded him with a frown. He gathered music sheets at random and marched out of the room to escape Mahiru’s knowing smile.

As he walked down the hall, Licht glanced out the window towards the path he knew Hyde would take. He and Hyde were each the heirs to two bordering kingdoms. Ever since they were children, they were forced to spend time together. Licht would visit Hyde’s castle during the summer. Similarly, Hyde would spend his winter with him.

Their guardians hoped that they would become friends to form a strong alliance between their kingdoms. That soon proved to be unlikely because their conflicting personalities only led to fights between the boys. Licht didn’t know why Kranz continued to hope they would be friends after ten years. He simply couldn’t see himself with the demon.

Licht sat in front of his piano and placed his hands on the keys. As he played a song, he started to reminisce about the time they were children. He couldn’t deny that they had a lot of fun adventures together. Hyde loved to show off the scenic places his kingdom had. Not one to be outdone, Licht would show him around his own kingdom.

“Why am I thinking about him so much?” Licht tried to shake Hyde from his mind but he couldn’t. He told himself that the reason was because he would be arriving soon. He sighed and shifted through the music sheets in front of him to find another song to play. Voices in the hall caught his attention and he was slightly surprised when he recognized it.

It sounded like Hyde was outside. The demon would always make a grand entrance whenever he arrived. Licht opened the door slightly and peered into the hall. He spotted Hyde walking with Mahiru and his heart quickened. He was about to call out to him but he stopped when Hyde patted Mahiru’s back and spoke excitedly to him.

“It’s still unbelievable a man like you isn’t promised to anyone. I know a few people who would love to have your hand, Mahiru.” Licht didn’t know why he suddenly felt jealous. It shouldn’t bother him if Hyde was interested in Mahiru or anyone else. Yet, he couldn’t move and he bit his lip. He listened as he went on, “You must be busy as Licht’s tutor. But if you’re interested, my brother—”

“Stop flirting with Mahiru!” The door crashed open and Licht stomped down the hall. He forced his way between the two and faced Hyde. “What are you doing?”

Licht appear so suddenly that they were taken aback. After the shock faded, Hyde laughed. He grinned and leaned down until he could whisper in his ear. “I was playing matchmaker. My brother has a crush on your tutor and I thought I could help them. You didn’t need to get so jealous, Lichtan. You’re certainly cute when you get worked up like this though.”

“Who said I was jealous?” Licht denied but he could feel his ears becoming red. He quickly thought of an excuse for his behaviour and turned away. “I ordered Mahiru to bake cookies for me. He can’t do that when you’re bothering him.”

“If you say so, Angel Cakes.” Hyde tousled his black hair. His fingers lingered over the white strands in his hair but Licht didn’t push his hand away. “I came early to surprise you. I should’ve known you would be the one to surprise me. Now, let’s see if that pond you told me about is as stunning as you are. It’s cold outside so you can borrow my scarf as well.”

“I know better than to take anything offered by a demon. There’s always a trick attached to it.” Licht thought Hyde was a halfhearted flirt so he told himself not to be fooled by his charming smile. He stepped away from him and said, “My coat is in my study. Wait for me by the gates.”

“As you wish, Angel Cakes. I would wait a thousand years for you.” Hyde bowed exaggeratedly. He took Licht’s hand and pressed a kiss onto his fingertips. Licht rolled his eyes and gave Hyde a swift kick. He muttered curses at the demon as he walked away. Since his back was turned to him, Hyde couldn’t see the bright blush Licht had.

* * *

“Do you think the ice is thick enough for us to skate? It’s only mid-December.” Hyde pointed out as he looked over the pond. The snow dusting the trees and the clear blue ice blanketing the water was beautiful. In the middle of that beautiful picture was an angel. Licht had already skated to the center of the pond. “Hey, don’t go off without me, Lichtan!”

“Hurry up and get over here.” Licht called back to him but he skated towards him. He stopped in front of him and offered his hand. “It’s safe. I already checked the thickness of the ice earlier today. Also, I’ve been skating here since I was a kid and the ice never cracked once. Why are you hesitating? You were the one who asked me to take you to this pond.”

“Well, you kept boasting about this place while we were fishing. I was curious but we need to be certain the ice is safe. Gil will kill me if something happened to you while we outside of the castle. Remember that time we searched for that snow angel and got sick?” Hyde reminded him but the memory made him laugh. He stepped onto the ice and said, “If anything does happen, I’ll save you.”

“An angel doesn’t need a demon’s protection. If anything, I will be the one to rescue you.” He almost slipped on the ice when Hyde threw his arms around him. With his back pressed against his chest, Licht was able to lean on him to keep himself from falling. He could feel Hyde’s warmth around him and he tilted his head back to look up at him. “What the hell, Shit Rat?”

“I was just really happy when you said you would save me. You’re so cold all the times so I don’t get to see your sweet side as often.” Hyde let go of him and skated around him until they were facing. His teasing smile Licht question if he was being truthful. He could never know with a man like Hyde. With that thought, he pushed off the ice and skated away from him.

Hyde followed him and skated next to him. They glided over ice and spoke idly with each other. Despite how often they fought, it was easy to fall into a pleasant conversation with Hyde. “One of your brothers is interested in Mahiru? He must be incredibly foolish or desperate if he’s going to trust you with his love life. I can’t call any of your siblings those things so I’m guessing you decided to help on your own.”

“As always, you’re right, Lichtan.” He nodded. “Do you want to be my partner in crime and help me set those two up?”

“You must not be busy if you can waste time on someone else’s relationship. I should tell Gil you need more work. It’ll keep you out of trouble.” Licht said in a thoughtful voice. In reaction, Hyde made an exaggerated expression and Licht decided to take pity on him. “As long as you don’t try to drag me into one of your schemes, I’ll keep your secret.”

“You’re a true angel.” His voice was surprisingly warm as he spoke and Licht suddenly felt flustered. Hyde would usually tease him for being an angel. He pulled his hood over his head to hide the blush that appeared on his cheeks. Hopefully, he would mistake it for the cold. He almost tripped when Hyde leaned towards him. “If you continue to be so sweet, I’m going to fall in love with you.”

“I’m wearing ice skates. They’ll hurt much more when I kick you.” Licht reminded him. He pulled away from him and bit his lip. He looked down at their feet and mumbled to himself. “I hate when you tease me like that, Shit Rat.”

“I can’t help it when your reactions are entertaining.” Hyde was prepared to dodge a kick but Licht merely turned his gaze away from him. He briefly saw the lonely expression he had and became worried. “Did I go too far? Tell me and I’ll apologize. I don’t want Gil to yell at me.”

“That’s exactly what I don’t like!” He yelled and turned to kick him. It was difficult to keep his balance on ice skates and he almost fell. Hyde rushed to catch him and caught his hands. Neither of them could find any friction on the ice so they both tumbled to the ground. He fell on top of Licht and they both groaned. After a moment, Hyde pushed himself up slightly and looked down at him.

“Are you hurt, Lichtan?”

“No, I’m not.” He said but Hyde still ran his hand over his head to check for a bump. Licht slapped his hand away. “Didn’t I tell you to stop teasing me like this? I know you don’t like me and the only reason you spend time with me is because Gil forces you to. I don’t understand why you bother with anything if you’re going to be half hearted.”

Hyde was silent for a moment since he didn’t know how to answer him. He was so close to Licht he could see himself in his clear, blue eyes. He thought of the first time he met him. “When we were kids, I played with you because Gil and my siblings insisted I should. But we’re sixteen now. Everyone is telling me I need to court Princess Hime for political reasons.”

“Do you like her?” Licht hated how his voice trembled a little.

“I haven’t sent her a single letter so I wouldn’t know.” He told him as he sat up. “My title doesn’t control me and I can say no to my family. I spend time with you because I enjoy being with you, Licht. I look forward to the summer when you’ll come to my castle.”

“Hyde—” He whispered his name but that was soon drowned out by the sound of footsteps in the snow. Licht realized that someone was approaching them and he shoved Hyde off him. In the distance, he noticed Mahiru walking towards the pond. He stood and fixed his clothes. He couldn’t meet Hyde’s red eyes as he skated to the edge of the pond where their boots were.

Licht waved to his friend. They greeted each other and then Mahiru dangled a basket in front of him. “You two left so quickly I couldn’t give you your lunch. Here you go. I’m sorry to interrupt your little outing. It seems like you two were having a lot of fun together. Bye, Licht.”

Once he handed Licht the basket, Mahiru returned to the castle. He couldn’t correct his friend before he walked away. He sighed heavily and looked down at the basket of warm treats. Licht sensed Hyde move next to him and steal a cookie from the basket. “This taste great. Do you want to return to the castle to have a proper lunch or would you rather eat here?”

“Cookies are best when they’re fresh and warm. Let’s sit under that tree.” Licht gestured to the tree. He shook the snow from his boot before he put them on. He held onto Hyde’s arm for balance as he did so. From the corner of his eyes, he caught Hyde eating a second cookie. “If you keep stealing all the cookies, there won’t be anything else left for me.”

“Do you want to share the next cookie?” Hyde held a cookie in his mouth and leaned towards Licht.

“Didn’t I just tell you to stop teasing me?” He screamed and pushed him into the snow.


	3. Chapter 3

Licht felt his body being lifted and the motion woke him. He groaned softly and he tried to open his eyes but the candle light gave him a headache. The dull ache stopped when a cool hand stroked his dark hair. He instinctively leaned into the hand and he almost fell out of the arms carrying him. The person quickly held him closer so he wouldn’t fall.

“You look cute when you’re sleeping, Angel Cakes.” He only knew one person who would call him by such a silly nickname. Licht opened his eyes and glared at Hyde above him. His demon merely smiled in return and said, “You passed out and Mahiru told me to carry you to your room. I know it’s your birthday but you should know better than to drink so much.”

“Did I win? I bet I did.” He mumbled. He was only able to recall fuzzy moments from his birthday party. A few princes challenged him to a drinking contest and Licht was too proud to say no. Now, his head was pounding but Hyde’s hand helped soothe him. He couldn’t admit that he enjoyed his presence so Licht lightly hit his shoulder. “Put me down, Shit Rat. I can walk on my own.”

“Lichtan, I’m pretty sure you’re still a little drunk.” Hyde said but he lowered Licht onto his feet. They both would’ve rather he continued to carry him. He waited until Licht was steady on his feet before they continued down the hall. He was still a little drunk so he leaned his head against his shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry you to your room?”

“I don’t need your help. My room is just around the corner but I doubt you can carry me that far anyways.” Licht said despite the fact that Hyde had already carried him so far. He thought of the day they first met as kids and how much they had both changed. Hyde was taller now and he was strong enough to carry him. More than Hyde’s appearance, Licht found that he enjoyed their visits.

Hyde knew the layout of the castle well from their many visits. He stopped in front his bedroom and opened the door for him. The guards didn’t bother to stop him from following Licht into his room because they easily recognized him. He sat on his bed and collapsed back on the pillows. The party had drained his energy and he wanted to fall asleep. He scowled as he felt Hyde poke his cheek.

“You can’t go to sleep yet, Lichtan. I still need to give you your birthday present. I wanted to give it to you after the party when we would be alone. Who would’ve thought that you would get this drunk?” He lightly tugged on his hands and made him sit up again. “You should change into more comfortable clothes while I go get it. That way, you can go to sleep right after I give you my gift.”

“Just hurry up, Shit Rat. I’m tired.” He said. Once he left the room, Licht started to change. He wondered what he would give him. With a demon like Hyde, he could never guess. Licht found himself smiling  as he thought of him. The moment he realized his thoughts were wandering away from him, he slapped his cheeks. He reminded himself that he couldn’t think of Hyde in a romantic way.  

There was a knock on the door as he finished changing. It was likely Hyde returning with his gift so he called for him to enter. He entered the room with a cupcake in his hand. Licht didn’t see him holding anything else so he took the cupcake from him. “Is this my gift?”

“As if I would give you something so small, Lichtan. It’s a small birthday cake to set the mood. I couldn’t fit twenty candles on it though. Blow out this candle and make a wish.” Hyde prompted and lit the single candle on the cupcake. As he thought of a wish, he watched the candle light play over Licht’s face and highlight his strong features.

Finally, Licht softly blew out the candle. “So, what did you wish for, Angel Cakes?”

“I can’t tell you or else it won’t come true.” He took the candle off the cupcake so he could eat the treat. The expression he made while he ate was endearing to Hyde. He often wore a cold frown so he loved whenever he could see his soft smile. He enjoyed most of the expressions he had and he would tease him to see if he could make him smile or yell.

Once Licht finished eating his cupcake, he licked the sweet crumbs from his fingers. He paused when he felt something cold against his cheek. Licht realized that Hyde was holding something close to his face. He turned his face slightly to see what it was. His eyes widened when he saw the exquisite charm. A detailed hedgehog hanged at the end of a braid.

“This is beautiful, Hyde.” He whispered softly and cupped his hand around the gold hedgehog. He ran his finger over the fine detail in its quills. Its eyes were rubies and they reminded him of Hyde’s red eyes. He immediately took out his sword to tie the charm to the sheath. “This must’ve been expensive. Who is the artist? I might ask them to make a few more charms for me.”

“I’m glad you like the charm. I made it.” He told him and chuckled at the shock that appeared on his face. Hyde playfully ruffled his hair. “I wanted to make something special for your birthday. Well, it’s probably Christmas morning by now. Do you want your Christmas present too? I hid it under your bed earlier so I could surprise you.”

“Didn’t I tell you to stop sneaking into my room, Shit Rat?” Licht lightly kicked him but it didn’t hurt. Honestly, he enjoyed Hyde’s little surprises. He slid off the mattress and he peered under the bed. He pulled out the colourful box. Since he was impatient, he didn’t wait before he took off the lid. A pair of black boots was inside. “You’re making it hard to hate you.”

“You should just admit you love this demon.” Hyde gave him a wink. He thought he saw Licht blush but he didn’t know if it was a trick of the candlelight. “Do I get a special thank you?”

“You can’t win someone’s affection with gift.” He said but he placed his hand on Hyde’s leg. Licht leaned towards him and kissed his cheek lightly. Both of their faces were red as he pulled away. He was nervous of Hyde’s reaction to the quick kiss and impulsively kicked him off his bed. “I need to go to sleep so get out of my room.”

“Wait, Lichtan!” He called for him to stop but he was already forcing him through the door. Licht slammed it close and placed his hand over his racing heart. He heard Hyde knock but he didn’t know if he should open the door for him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from throwing himself at him once he saw his face.

Licht’s knees gave out and he sank to the floor. He whispered to himself, “Is this love?”

* * *

“Everyone outdid themselves with the Christmas tree this year.” Hyde looked over the tall tree and admired the elaborate decorations. The kingdom would light the tree at exactly midnight and it was a stunning sight. The plaza was already crowded with people enjoying the night. Licht sat next to him on the bench and they ate hot crepes together.  

He was wearing the boots he gave him and that made him happy. Hyde was worried that Licht would avoid him after the chaste kiss the previous night. So, he was relieved that he joined him on the small outing. Licht was quieter than usual though. “How does your crepe taste?”

“Like heaven.” He hummed happily as he answered. Hyde took out a napkin and wiped the cream off the corner of Licht’s mouth. He had a blush as he leaned away from Hyde. “Hey, I’m eating so don’t put your fingers near my mouth! I’ll bite them off, Shit Rat.”

“You have the mouth of an angel so that won’t be too bad.” He pinched his cheek playfully. Licht rolled his eyes at his behaviour and slapped his hand away. That quickly led to a small slap fight between the two. Hyde laughed and hugged Licht so he couldn’t slap him. “It’s Christmas, you need to be nice to me. Where’s my present?”

“I left it at the castle. It’s nothing special so don’t get your hopes up. I bought your gift last week.” Licht lied. A month ago, he had commissioned for a fencing saber to be made for Hyde because he remembered he enjoyed the sport. He also enjoyed watching him fence. “After they light the Christmas tree, we can go back to the castle for presents.”

Before Hyde could reply, he spotted Kranz in the distance. He leaned back on the bench and waved to the man. “Merry Christmas, Kranz. Are you here to watch the Christmas tree be lighted or to make sure Lichtan and I aren’t fighting?”

“I came because I need to talk to Licht. I thought he would be here with you. Where is he?” The question confused Hyde and he started to point to the spot next to him. Licht was no longer sitting there. Hyde decided to lie and told Kranz that Licht left to buy more crepes. “Thank you. If he comes back, tell him that I’m looking for him. Goodbye.”

Hyde nodded and waved to Kranz. He waited until he was out of sight before he leaned over the back of the bench. “He’s gone, Lichtan.”

“I want to move to that bench.” Licht stood and pointed to a bench on the other side of the tree. He lightly tugged on his black scarf. Hyde took off his scarf and mantle and draped them over Licht’s shoulders. In exchange, Licht gave him his jacket so Hyde wouldn’t be cold. He adjusted the scarf around him so Kranz wouldn’t recognize him if he came back.

“Did you and Kranz have a fight?” Hyde asked as they walked around the Christmas tree. He knew that the two were close. Kranz adopted Licht when he was a child and they were like brothers. “You can tell me, Lichtan. I’m not as good at giving advice like Mahiru but I can listen.”

A brief moment of hesitation passed before he sighed. Licht curled his fingers around the warm scarf. He wished that it was Hyde’s arm around his shoulder and he unconsciously leaned towards him. “We’re not teenagers anymore. I need to find a queen soon. Every day, Kranz will remind me of that and I’m tired of hearing it. He wants me to find one at the spring masquerade ball.”

Hyde was so shocked that he stopped walking and stared at him. For most of their lives, they spent their summers and winters together. That would end once one of them married. Hyde never considered that because Licht never showed any interest in romance. Jealousy stirred in him when he thought of Licht being with someone else.

At that moment, the Christmas tree came to life with a million lights. They could see each other better and Hyde saw the longing in his blue eyes. With an empty laugh, Licht said, “The worst part? There is someone I want to marry but I can never be with him.”

“You can’t give up! If you want something, you have to reach out and take it. That’s what the angel I fell in lo— I mean, the angel I know. That’s what the angel I know would do.” Hyde said and took Licht’s hand in his. “I’ll go to the masquerade ball and help you scare away fortune hunters.”

“You can’t.” Licht shook his head and reminded him, “The ball is in Spring. You’ll be gone by then so I’ll just handle this by myself.”

* * *

Licht hated crowded parties and he hoped the ordeal would end soon. He spoke with a few princesses already but no one stood out to him. The entire time, he thought of how much more fun the masquerade ball would be with Hyde. He could easily picture his demon causing a commotion that he would have to punish him for. After that, they would dance and laugh together.

He took a glass of wine from a waiter with the hope that it would help him relax. A hand dropped over the cup and stopped Licht from drinking it. He scowled at the masked stranger and he intended to kick him. The smirk the man had made him pause and Licht’s eyes narrowed. He threw the wine at his face but the man barely reacted. He didn’t take off his mask to wipe his face and turned away from him instead.

Licht watched the man carefully and the way he moved was familiar. Due to his mask and costume, he couldn’t be certain. He grabbed the man’s arm and forced him to face him again. “Dance with me.”

Still, the man was silent. He did take Licht’s hand and kissed it softly though. They walked to the center of the ballroom and faced each other. Licht placed his hand on his shoulder and he tried to look past the mask. The hand on his waist lead him through the dance and they floated over the floor. It felt like they were skating on ice.

“I know you’re behind that mask, Shit Rat. What are you doing here? It’s Spring. Gil will be angry if he knew that you were running away from your work.” Licht reached up to take off the mask. He backed away from him but he managed to catch his hand. Hyde lightly pulled on his hand and led him onto the stage. Licht was confused but he followed him up the stairs.

Everyone stopped to stare at the two on stage. Licht’s heart swelled with love when he saw him drop onto one knee. He didn’t know what he was planning. Hyde never let go of his hand and he pressed a kiss on his fingertips. He recognized his voice as he spoke.

“I hate Spring when I have to return home and leave you. Every day, from April ‘til July, the only thing I can do is miss you. I get to see you in Summer but then I have to miss you all over again in Autumn. Your hand, your smile, your voice… I need you, Licht. A few months of a year with you isn’t enough for me. Do you feel the same?”

Licht forgot the people watching them. He knelt and took off the mask Hyde was wearing. His red eyes were earnest and filled with love. He cupped his face and pulled him into a kiss. “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not the biggest fan of The Swan Princess but I liked the intro song of them as reluctant children because it’s a fun little concept.


End file.
